Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Vitamin D intoxication caused by ingestion of commercial cat food in three kittens.
- Journal:
- Journal of feline medicine and surgery
- Year:
- 2013
- Authors:
- Wehner, Astrid et al.
- Affiliation:
- Ludwig Maximilian University · Germany
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Two kittens, a 6-month-old male and a female, were taken to the vet because they had been drinking and peeing a lot, feeling very tired, and having trouble breathing for three weeks. A year earlier, another sibling had similar but worse symptoms and was unfortunately put to sleep. Tests showed that all three kittens had very high calcium levels in their blood, kidney problems, and lung issues, which were linked to eating cat food that had too much vitamin D. The male kitten received several treatments, while the female kitten improved and was back to normal in two weeks. The male kitten's kidney condition remained stable, and his lung problems got much better over time, showing that supportive care can help cats recover from vitamin D poisoning.
Abstract
Two siblings, a 6-month-old sexually intact male weighing 2.5 kg (cat 1) and a sexually intact female (cat 2) British Shorthair cat weighing 2.3 kg, were examined because of a 3-week history of polyuria, lethargy and laboured breathing. One year previously, another sibling (cat 3) had been presented because of similar, yet more severe, clinical signs at the age of 5 months. Physical examination revealed lethargy, dehydration and polypnoea with slightly increased inspiratory effort. Diagnostic investigation revealed severe hypercalcaemia (cats 1-3), renal azotaemia (cats 1 and 3) and a radiologically generalised miliary interstitial pattern of the lungs (cats 1-3) attributable to hypervitaminosis D caused by ingestion of commercial cat food. Cat 3 was euthanased. Cats 1 and 2 were treated with isotonic saline solution (180 ml/kg IV daily), sucralfate (30 mg/kg PO q12h), terbutaline (only cat 1: 0.1 mg/kg SC q4h), furosemide (1.5 mg/kg IV q8h) and tapering doses of prednisolone. Cat 2 was normal on day 14. Cat 1 had stable renal disease and was followed up to day 672. The radiological generalised military interstitial pattern of the lungs had improved markedly. Excessive cholecalciferol-containing commercially available cat food poses a great hazard to cats. Supportive treatment may result in long-term survival and improvement of radiological pulmonary abnormalities.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23295272/